


The Scavenger

by Itlivesforever



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Backstory, Gen, Jakku, Lots of Angst, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey's hard life as a scavenger, warnings/other tags will be added as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:37:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6874597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itlivesforever/pseuds/Itlivesforever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life on Jakku is not easy. Especially if you're a scavenger. The world is cruel and unforgiving to such lowly creatures, and without warning a young Rey must learn how to live in such a world. Suffering is common, hope is hard to come by, and a friendly face is the rarest of all. </p><p>But Rey is determined to survive.</p><p>(Stories of Rey's life before the events of TFA)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Scavenger

**Author's Note:**

> The chapters I write are basically all going to be short stories depicting different stages of Rey's harsh life on Jakku. I'm hoping to keep them fairly chronological, but that may change.
> 
> Also, there will be various trigger warnings in upcoming chapters, so make sure that you read those as they come and are aware of them. 
> 
> This chapter, however, contains no major triggers, so go nuts.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Rey woke with a start when the ship shuttered slightly. They had landed, and blinding light soon flooded the entrance as the door opened into the new world below. It was so bright, in fact, that the small girl couldn't help but pull her garments over her eyes to block it out. Looking at the clothes that covered her, she again noted how strange they were. They were thin and simple and dusty brown. Nothing like the the robes or play clothes she was used to or the soft cloaks her mother and father wore now. She wondered for the umpteenth time why she had to wear them. She had heard her mother whispering about "desert apparel" and "blending in with locals" but couldn't make any sense of it.

Another thing Rey couldn't make sense of was her parents' fear. They never talked like they were afraid, especially not around her, but she knew. She could feel it, somehow. She felt their sadness, too, and their guilt, ever since they got on the ship with her. But she didn't know why. She had brushed it off every time, however. The child didn't know what else to do, and the holovids her father always put on for her were more interesting anyways. They always had something to do with pilots and ships and that was all Rey needed to forget about her parents' strange emotions.

She blinked rapidly as her little eyes adjusted to the light. A figure walked towards her, soft and kind and radiating love. It was her mother, something told her, and when she fully regained sight her senses were confirmed. "Mama," Rey chirped, full of curiosity. "Are we here? What planet is this?"

Her mother reached down and softly pulled her into her arms. "We're on Jakku, my sweet Rey. You need to get up now, I know you've had a long journey here but we must go out to your father." Rey nodded and wrapped her arms around her, letting herself be carried into the strange world outside of the ship.

The first thing she noticed was the blast of heat that hit her as she was taken outside. She was suddenly very grateful for her thin, cool clothes. Her mother already seemed slightly feverish from the heat in her long dark cloak. Rey didn't resist when her mother stopped to set her down and instead took her hand and walked. The second thing Rey noticed was that there was sand - everywhere. In fact, there were very few things that she could see that  _weren't_  sand. A very small village in the distance was one. Another were the two figures that she and her mother were approaching as they trudged through the sand.

One figure, Rey noted, was her father. As she got closer she could hear that he was talking to the creature that stood next to him. The stranger was large and gruesome looking, and by no means seemed friendly. He had more skin pouring off of him than Rey had ever seen, and his face wore a scowl that looked permanent. He seemed less than pleased to be talking to Rey's father as well, or perhaps it was just his manner.

Even as Rey and her mother approached, the pair kept talking. "This arrangement truly won't be for long Unkar, we just need to keep her hidden until everything is sorted out. I just want her to be safe," Rey's father said urgently.

"She'll be as safe as the rest of the people I employ. You want her to blend in? I'm blending her in. No special treatment, I don't care how much you pay. I don't do _special_." The creature, by the name of Unkar, sneered. "She'll work for me until she can work for herself. Then she's on her own. You drop her here? Fine. But I will not sit around _babysitting_ until you take her back."

Rey clutched her mother's side, deciding that she already had a disliking for the blobbish beast before her. Her mother stepped in now, pulling away from the child's grasp. " _Please_ Unkar just promise you'll keep her alive. We just want what's best for our daughter," she begged, desperation flooding her words.

"I may control Niima, but the nature of the desert is nothing I can stop. I'm not promising anything," Unkar growled. "Now are you leaving her here or not?"

Rey watched as her parents turned to each other. She may be young, but had long caught on by now that something was very wrong. Her mother's eyes were specked with tears as she turned to her husband.

"We can't really be doing this. Please, we can't leave her here not knowing what will become of her." Tears openly streamed down her cheeks now.

Rey's father sighed. "What choice do we have? If she stays here at least she has a chance. If she stays with us it will only be so long before they find her. She can survive here, I believe that. And then when this all blows over we will have our daughter back again, before you even know it."

"Listen," Unkar cut in. "I need you to make up your mind quick. I have a stand to run and you've used enough of my time. Now are you _leaving_ her here or _not_?" His words gritted out with strained impatience.

"What do you mean leaving?"

The small girl had had enough. Leaving her here? Why would they be doing that? She had clearly misheard something. Misinterpreted. When she spoke the trio suddenly went silent. Her father turned to her and she eyed him cautiously as he bent down level to her. He took her tiny hand and blinked back tears, and it was clear now that she had not misheard anything.

"Listen Rey, you know mommy and daddy love you very much. More than anything else in the galaxy. But we have to go away for a little while, okay? You're going to stay here with Mr. Plutt."

Her little brain buzzed and dazed at the words, before shocking into the understanding of what was happening. "No. No you don't! You aren't leaving me!" She cried out, yanking her hand from his. "Why would you leave me?" She hadn't done anything wrong, she always helped her mother and learned to pilot with her father and they were _happy_. They couldn't just leave her here with this strange angry creature.

"Rey, you have to understand. These are dangerous times. We have to protect you," he said. But no matter what he said she couldn't comprehend why this was happening. What danger? Nothing had ever come between her family like this before.

Soon her mother was embracing her, holding her close for the last time. She spoke as her daughter sobbed into her shoulder. "My sweet baby Rey. You mean so much to me, and to your father too," she whispered. She pulled away and wiped the tears off her daughter's cheeks, looking into her eyes. "Stand up straight, Rey, pilot posture." The girl obliged, straightening her shoulders like she knew good pilots do. But it didn't stop her lip from quivering or her eyes from watering. "You're strong, my love. I want you to continue to be strong until we return. You can take care of yourself. I know you can." And with that her mother stood and moved next to her husband.

Not willing to let them turn away, the young girl ran at them. She threw herself down and anchored to her father's leg, bawling uncontrollably. "You _can't_ leave! You can't, you can't. I won't let you!" she begged out. But the man just shook gently from her grip.

"We'll come back for you Rey, I promise." The way he looked at her when he said it, she knew he meant it. With that he turned his attention to the onlooking creature before them. "Unkar," he said quietly, nodding in gesture to Rey. He then took his wife's hand, and turned to the ship.

"Goodbye, Rey." The woman whispered.

The child cried out and tried to run after her family, but a meaty hand gripped her arm and kept her in place. " _Let go of me!_ " she screamed, with a voice as feral as the five year old could muster. But no matter how she twisted, Unkar kept his grip. She yelled for them to stop, but they did not slow or even turn back to look at her. Not out of hatred or cold-heartedness, but because they just couldn't bare to see what they had done to her anymore. It was getting harder and harder for the two of them to convince themselves that this was for the best. But still they boarded the ship without a glance back.

Within moments the ship was started, and a short time later it was lifting off into the air. With every passing second the reality of the situation became clearer and clearer to Rey. She was shaking now, barely able to get air into her tiny lungs. But still she sobbed out to the ship as it got smaller and smaller against the blue desert sky. "Please!" she yelled. " _Come back!_ "

At this point Unkar was tired of her cries. "Quiet, girl!" he barked, dragging her aside and gaining her attention, and fear. Despite the terror in her eyes the beast made no attempt to soften his voice. "Listen. They're gone, and they won't be here for a long time. You work for _me_ now, girl, and you will follow what I say. And my first demand is that you _shut up._ "

Rey quickly toned her howls down to a whimper, fearing for her life. His breath and scent in general immediately made her want to vomit, but even her small mind knew that throwing up would not be a good choice in this situation. She instead gulped in and held her breath between sniffles. Satisfied with the change in volume, Unkar started moving toward the village on the horizon. As he started he dragged Rey by her arm until she got the idea that she was meant to follow him.

She dragged her feet beside him, still in absolute shock. One moment she was happy and safe with her parents. Now, she was alone and afraid and numb. She had no one to love her and nothing but the clothes on her back. Everything she knew was gone.

And she didn't know what was going to become of her.


End file.
